St Gilgen International school, Austria

The best IB school in Austria!

St Gilgen International School is a young school that is developing rapidly and successfully thanks to the favorable position and competent  educational approach. The school was opened in 2008. Today it's a small school with personal approach to each of 180 students. In the future, there is plan to increase the number of students to 250.

 The founder of St Gilgen International School is an architect from Vienna Alexander Serda, who saw the prospect of an international school in the resort village of St. Gilgen on the lake Wolfgangsee. He bought some charming old villas with the surrounding field on the shore of the lake and rebuilt the villas into comfortable school building. On the adjacent territory Cerda has built a large school building with super-modern design and built sport feeds and playgrounds.

Four old family hotels in the village not far from the school were restored and turned into a school dormitories. Local car shop building was turned into a spacious art studio. The theater was restored into school theater and music school. All these buildings are located not more than 5-7 minutes from each other in a very safe environment of Austrian village resort. Today St Gilgen International School has become the heart of the village and contributes to the development of infrastructure and transformation into small but charming town.

Visit to St Gilgen International School

St Gilgen International School was last on my tour of European schools. After 2 weeks I saw the international schools in Spain, Switzerland, Germany and Austria, I had much to compare. After a romantic dinner in a picturesque restaurant, night walk along the lake, spending the night in a luxury Suite at the Post hotel, kindly offered by school, I was looking forward to visiting the school next morning. My host in the school was Jessica, with whom we recently met at a conference in Berlin where she was able to convince me, that St Gilgen International School is exactly the one I was missing in my portfolio of the European international schools.

I just got here, yet nothing about the school I do not know just what they say in the advertising directories. Sunny break between classes, many children in the yard and yet all I see for lattice fence — I really like it. Very happy atmosphere, as if on the eve of the holiday. The left side of the school — a classic Austrian villas, a combination of white walls, dark Fachwerk, red brick and carved wooden roofs. To the right of the school yard is a modern glass building in the shape of the letter P, in perfect harmony with old buildings.

We visited the school building, student residences, a theater, art Studio, meet students.

Very spacious classrooms, despite the fact that, on average, at grade 8 students, a bright, almost all Windows from floor to ceiling,equipped according to the latest technology. We visited a biology class and I ask that for tubes similar to the vent falls to all tables. It turns out that these pipes fed the gas for experiments in chemistry and biology. This equipment I have not seen in any school! In all classrooms the interactive whiteboard that allows the teacher to conduct the lecture using the computer. All pupils use during lessons laptops Mac. On arrival at school, each student needs to purchase at school and Mac school loads all of the required study programme.

Jessica says that due to its location on a lake and local ski resorts, school playgrounds and sports etynhe in a village school, nearly all sports. Comindustry in school competitions in football, basketball and Alpine skiing. But other than that you can go swimming, all water sports on the lake, tennis, horse riding and many others.

Lessons at the local ski resort pass for everyone on Wednesdays, weekend school visits to the larger resorts. Instructor lifts are included in the cost of schooling, if the student does not have their skis or snowboard, then you need to pay the rent.

The school has students from 9 to 18 years, half of the children — the Austrians. International students represent believablity countries. The teachers of the school collected from different English-speaking countries: UK, USA, Canada and others.

The school has a very strong Department of art. The music school provides personalized learning games in many instruments, group classes in composition, singing and playing synthesizer. In the school theater students prepare and release a new musical or a play twice a year. Art department is divided into arts, fashion design, graphic design, drawing and 3-D drawing. At the end of each semester school holds the exhibition of student work and these events are widely covered by the press and even TV.

Bording in student residences

The school residence is a cozy special interest groups former resort hotels St Gilgen. Due to the fact that before these buildings were hotels — there is a very good infrastructure. All rooms are for two, 12-graders live in one, with facilities in the room. The first floor has a large and charming relaxation areas and dining room.

Catering in residences different from all of the schools. Then there is its cuisine. For Breakfast and dinner put on the table directly in the residence on duty students. All food brought in from a local restaurant. Dinners are held through the day in one of two hotel restaurants of the village, which makes a variety in the diet and the feeling of the restaurant. These restaurants were the ones where I had dinner the day before and, second, the Post hotel is the best вSt Gilgen.

Admission to St Gilgen International School

For admission to the school, particularly in senior classes, a high level of English and good academic performance. For admission directly to the IB program, you need to recruit a sufficient TOEFL score or IELTS. For admission in Junior classes are not necessarily very good English, so as to 7 th class there is a programme of support in English. The school is not too selective on academic results before admission. Much more important to see in student motivation and desire to participate in the position-class activities: active participation in sports, drama clubs, volunteer projects and environmental protection, other activities required by the IB program.

After submission, if successful, their examination, all students must attend school to pass tests in English and mathematics and in the interests of the student, everyone is welcome to spend 2 days in school, attending classes and after-school clubs and an overnight stay in the school residence. These visits provide accurate understanding of how a student and his family and school, according to student and future environment.

Summer school is a great opportunity to feel the atmosphere of the future of education

Summer camp St Gilgen offers a program in English or German language. In the morning students choose one of three programs: English or German; or drama and acting; or the sports and principles of sports training. After lunch, students enjoy an extensive active program on the lake or in the village, mountain tours and excursions. Summer students will take up the entire infrastructure of the school and this is a great opportunity to feel the academic student of this school and to enjoy the Austrian summer.